Inquest is opened into death of double murderer

An inquest has been opened into the death of a double murderer who was serving a life sentence at HMP Littlehey.

Steven Alfred Wilkins, was an inmate at the prison in Perry, when he was diagnosed with cancer in March this year.

The 63-year-old was admitted to St John’s Hospice, in Bedfordshire, in the last few weeks of his life until he died on April 4.

An inquest into his death was opened on Wednesday (April 13) by assistant coroner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Belinda Cheney, at Lawrence Court, in Huntingdon.

Mrs Cheney said: “Mr Wilkins was diagnosed with lung cancer in March 2016 and he died of this.”

In the 1970s, Mr Wilkins was convicted of raping an 80-year-old woman and sentenced to spend an indefinite period in a secure mental health unit.

He was granted two weeks leave from the unit in 1979 but, while out, he went on the run and committed two murders.

Following a man hunt for Mr Wilkins he was arrested and was handed a life sentence in 1980 after pleading guilty to charges of rape, murder and arson.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Justice said: HMP Littlehey prisoner Steven Wilkins died at an outside hospice on April 4. He died as a result of a long-term illness.”

The inquest into Mr Wilkins’ death was adjourned and is scheduled to be re-opened again on Thursday, October 13, when the full circumstances surrounding the death will be heard.